CHAPTER 79: A WORD

Viviana stood, staring at the sprawling building of Vizra Luxe. She’d been reluctant, but she’d come over to know what her father was thinking.

An account he’d frozen for almost two months now. Why was he giving the money she’d completely rejected back to her?

Stepping into the company, she walked over to the elevator, stepping in as the workers who’d come out bowed to her. The doors dinged open at the third floor and she stepped out, marching toward her father’s office.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in." It was almost as if the man knew she was the one.

Pushing the door open, Viviana stepped in. She turned, and there he was, her father, seated at his desk in an imposing manner. The only out of put character about him was the stick of cigar hanging by the edge of his mouth.

He lifted his brown eyes, meeting her gaze.

"I was a bit worried you’d decide not to come."

"Is that why you transferred those funds into my account?" She asked. "Because you knew I would come?"

Amadeo shrugged. "How else was I supposed to get you here? I have been calling your phone for days, and what do you do, you ignore it every single time. I needed to give you something to be curious about. And well, look at you standing over there."

Viviana’s hands fisted by her side. "Why did you do that? What for?"

"It’s your money." He shrugged. "A strict father I am, but I’m also a man who recognizes one’s hard work. You’ve done well, better than anyone in this company, that even I fear your lack of presence here is not looking good. Now, why would I keep your money? That little stunt was to get you to act right, but seeing as you’re hell bent on staying with that man, what can I do? All I need is you to come back to my company and continue your work as the CEO. Other than that, I no longer care who you decide to stick with."

Viviana narrowed her eyes with a bitter laugh. "I don’t think you heard me right when I said I quit and that I no longer work for your company?"

Amadeo stood up. He rattled his chair back and rounded out over to stand in front of her. "I put so much effort into you, girl. And I mean it because look at you. No man is worthy of you, after all, you’re a woman who has everything. Talent, wealth, beauty, you lack nothing, Viviana. No man out there could even compare to you. And—"

Viviana turned away from him to storm off to the door.

"—I refuse to allow you to waste away every atom of potential you have inside of you. Reviving a company that has been abandoned for years? It won’t work. Return here and continue your work. Your title has been given back and—"

"I don’t want it," Viviana interrupted. She turned and looked at him. "You did well when you reduced me to the level of an intern, pa, and so did the company. I think you’ll be just fine without me."

She grabbed the door handle to leave, but paused. "Oh and one more thing." She stalked over to him, and forced the papers into his hands.

Amadeo lowered his gaze to them. "What is this?"

"What does it look like?"

"Divorce papers," Amadeo’s face grew cold. "What is the meaning of this nonsense?"

"It’s divorce papers, pa, and I don’t think you need me to let you know why it’s in your hands," she said. "My mother doesn’t need you anymore. She doesn’t want you and yes, she has put down her signature. As for you pa, I don’t think it should be hard for you. You don’t love my mother, you haven’t even visited her once in the hospital, so I know it won’t be a big deal for you. This way your mistress can have you all to herself."

"Although pa..." She smiled at him. "...I really don’t think you’re ever going to be happy. I sure don’t hope you do. I just...I wish you could suffer even if it’s half of what you put my mother through, a woman you claim with every part of you to love. You really are heartless."

She chuckled humourlessly and took a deep breath. "And you’ve made me afraid that the man I may have taken a liking to is probably your kind of man. And it sickens me to think that, after all, you’re like the devil."

Bowing to him, she turned and walked out, slamming the door shut.

Amadeo stared ahead. He slowly lowered his gaze to the papers with an expressionless face. "The devil, huh?" He mummured to himself, pressing the cigarette stick into the ashtray.

———

Emilio sat in the leather chair of his office, staring at the photo of Viviana and Nikolas on his computer screen.

He’d been in Chicago all these while, and never really heard of the wedding. Not that it wasn’t everywhere. It was, after all, a massive scandal for a family like the Di-grassi.

But he was too busy working his ass off. And by the time he realized, he found videos, pictures of Viviana Di-grassi, the impeccable woman he knew radiating nothing but grace for every moment you saw her.

She was perfect in every way. Emilio could hardly find a flaw.

Yet, that same woman had crashed her own wedding, barefoot in a tattered dress. Viviana? It looked like a mess. A piece that never should have touched her skin.

Emilio threw his head back against the chair, closing his eyes. "She’s perfect." And she’d never changed, not even when he saw her that day.

She was as beautiful as he recalled, maybe even more. A woman who uses the word beautiful for felt like an understatement. Her grace, the spectacle of a person she was could be said to be intimidating.

But then, he did notice a blemish on her skin that day.

Regardless of the high neck top she had on, he saw those hickey, and whoever had given them to her, must have been passionate. And who else could it be...

He tilted his head to look at Nikolas’s photo.

"This nobody..." But just how? Viviana was a kind of woman who hated to be touched. Even as she loved him, she never once allowed him to touch her, not even a kiss. Emilio could count on his fingers how many times she allowed him as close enough for a hug. Yet, she allowed this man who was far below her level to put those marks on her?

He couldn’t understand why. And that pissed him off.

Grabbing his phone off the table, he made a call.

[Sir?]

"Wendy, this man who Viviana is married to, can you find him for me?"

[Uh...of course. Why?]

"I’d like to have a word with him."